


This Sprawling Path

by menshouldbelikekleenex



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-23
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2018-11-17 22:25:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 19,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11278014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/menshouldbelikekleenex/pseuds/menshouldbelikekleenex
Summary: Link was a slave to destiny. He was the hero. Eira never had a destiny to think about. She was a nomad; she travelled and she survived. It was all so simple. Until it wasn't.





	1. Awakening

She had gone to the Great Plateau to search for valuables many times, but that time was different. After the ground shook and the strange towers rose from the earth, the area seemed to thrum with unseen tension. Monsters were much more prevalent and aggressive, following her for much longer than they used to.

Her eyes followed some bokoblins as the scurried around below her (she found that they hardly ever looked up, so trees were safe), waiting for them to clear out. She could fight them if she wanted to, but she had already expended a lot of energy climbing up to the top of the Plateau, so she did not want to test her luck end up in a situation she could not get out of.

She had been in the tree collecting so apples to eat when they found their way into the area. They had been following something– probably an animal– but it seems that they lost whatever it was. But she knew that meant that they would stay there for much longer than she cared for. They were stupid creatures and would most definitely stake out the last place they had seen their prey.

Settling in for a long wait, she tucked her legs underneath her, trying to get comfortable in the uncomfortable tree. She bit into her apple as quietly as she could while still keeping her keen eyes on the movement below her.

It did not escape her when an unfamiliar young man– a hylian by the looks of it– stumbled into the small area. The bokoblins didn’t see him right away, but he saw them. He drew his sword and they turned to him at the noise, their squeals ringing loudly in the empty air. It would surely bring more it they didn’t shut up quickly.

The boy was quick, though, slashing through them with what looked like practiced ease. His sword was old and didn’t quite fit him (his hold was quite awkward), but he clearly knew his way around a weapon.

With a small grin, she dropped her apple and drew her own sword. She dropped down on the last bokoblin and felt her sword enter its skull. She could feel the boy’s eyes on her as she pulled her sword out as shook off as much of the viscous blood as she could.

“You can sell that, you know.” She turned and nodded to the purple, pulsing guts by his feet. “They are worth quite a bit to the right people.”

He didn’t say anything in return, just tilted his head and placed his sword back in his sheath. He was a strange sight– his clothes didn’t quite fit him, his hair was unkempt, and there was a strange, glowing tablet at his side. His eyes slowly fell to the bokoblin guts at his feet before picking it up. His face pinched slightly at the feel of it before hesitantly placing it in his satchel at his hip. Smiling slightly when he looked back up, she grabbed her own spoils at her feet, placing them in her bag.

“They’re rather rare, those guts,” she said. “I’ve noticed that the red ones never drop them, only the other colors.”

He still said nothing. She didn’t blame him. Most people didn’t talk to strangers; it could get you killed if you weren’t careful. Especially if you’re a hylian. She finished packing up her stuff, noting that she should have enough to trade in for a decent amount of rupees.

“My name is Eira, by the way.” She tugged the hood of her cloak down. Her ears were pointed like his, but her hair was brown (unlike his brilliant gold). “I come here for things to sell. This is the first time I’ve seen anyone else up here, though.”

She tilted her head as she regarded him. He didn’t move much, but she could tell that he was invested in what she said. Something told her that he didn’t socialize much. Clucking her tongue, she glanced at the sky. It was starting to get dark.

“It’s dangerous at night…” she trailed off, hoping he would break his silence to give her a name.

Just as she gave up hope of an answer, he quietly said, “Link.”

“Well, it’s dangerous at night, Link,” she said with a smile. “Do you have a place to stay?”

He shook his head slowly. She thought it odd. How has he survived the nights alone if he did not have anywhere to go. Sleeping in the open usually required two people in order to avoid being ambushed by stalfos or keese.

“I know a place nearby, if you’d like.” She usually stayed on the Great Plateau for a few days before heading back down anyway. Helping a stranger for one night would not be the death of her.

He seemed hesitant at first, as if not sure if he could trust her. After a few seconds of contemplation, he nodded, taking a step towards her. She gave him a grin before turning on her heel and cutting through the woods in a now familiar path.

“How’d you get on the Plateau anyway?” she asked after a moment of silence. She could hear his soft breathing behind her, so she knew that he was still there. “As far as I know, I’m the only one who found the safe way to climb up here.”

At first, she didn’t think he was going to answer, so it surprised her (again) when he did. “I don’t know.” His voice was still quiet. It was melodical in a way but held a definite note of melancholy. “I woke up here a few days ago. I can’t remember anything before that.”

Humming quietly, she didn’t press him further. If he truly did not remember, her sticking her nose into his business would only upset him. They weren’t far, anyway.

They arrived at the shack with no incident. She didn’t look back at Link as she lit the fire under the cooking pot, nor when she took out some meat and mushrooms to cook. “I’m not sure who built this place, but I use it whenever I come up here. The monsters don’t come around here for whatever reason– not that I’m complaining.” She started to throw things in the cooking basin, pulling out some herbs and butter (which she kept next to some white chuchu jelly to keep cool). “Are you hungry?”

“Yes.” He slowly approached and sat down next the fire and she threw in different ingredients. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He opened his eyes (which were very blue, she noted) and she could tell that he had not eaten a proper meal in a while.

That makes two of them.

Her trek up to the Plateau had taken longer than normal as the towers had made the road to the cliffs even more dangerous. Couple that with some of the resting platforms she used to regain some feeling in her arms had broken off with the earthquake, it had taken her over five days to reach the top of the cliff. In the meantime she survived on dried fruits and meats.

“So what’s your plan, my friend?” she asked as she doled him a bowl of her concoction. He was lucky that she always kept a spare set of utensils (she always managed to lose her bowl and cutlery somehow) or they would have to take turns eating. But given the way he was staring at the food, she probably would have let him eat first. “The Great Plateau is nice and all, but I don’t think you can live here for long. Not enough game.”

He glanced at her with eyes that expressed a lot for one so stoic. He shrugged lightly before pointing in a general direction behind them. “The Castle.”

She nearly choked on her food. Ignoring his concerned glance, she sputtered out a rather lame, “Hyrule Castle?” Seeing his nod, she blinked. “You have a death wish or something? Nobody goes to the Castle and survives.”

“I will.”

She did not think it was confidence that kept his voice from quivering in fear. No, she could could see the doubt clear as day. She clucked her tongue after a second, trying not to think about what his fate would be if he followed through with his plan. She had seen many young men convinced that they could end Calamity Ganon’s terror. She had not seen them again after they departed for the source of the evil.

She finished her dinner, watched as he did the same with his third helping. The food was gone so she extinguished the fire and moved into the small hut behind her. She heard him follow after a second, looking around the small hut.

“It’s not much.” She didn’t say anything else. She didn’t need to, she felt. “You can have the bed.” She settled down in the far corner, allowing her the full view of the room and the door. Link shuffled around before gently lowering himself onto the bed. He looked as if he was afraid it was going to disappear. “Goodnight, Link.”

She was asleep before he was able to let out a quiet, “Goodnight.”

He was awake before her, which she was quite surprised about. She woke with the sun every morning, always packed and ready to go before the sun finished its journey above the horizon– she wasn’t used to someone waking before her. To see him standing by the window to the shack was definitely a shock.

He didn’t turn around when she started shuffling around, but she knew that he was aware she was awake. She could see it in the gentle tensing of his shoulders. She packed up her things without saying anything to him, gently placing her bag back into its place.

“I’m heading back down today.” He finally turned to watch her as she strapped her sword back to her hip. “Are you staying up her for much longer?”

He shook his head. “I am done here.” He gently touched the material strapped to his back near his various weapons and shield. “I’m going to Kakariko Village.”

“That’s quite the trek,” she said. “I’ve only been there once before. After the Yiga Clan started to pop up, it was too dangerous to go over there.” She could see the question in his eye, but she simply shrugged. He would see what she meant soon enough. “Can you get down? I can show you the path I know.”

He shook his head, refusing her offer. He again let his fingers run over the material on his back before he grabbed it and showed it to her. It was a paraglider, she realized. It would definitely be a quicker way off the Plateau than climbing.

“That’s pretty cool.” She left the house, glancing back at him as he emerged behind her. “Well, I guess this is where we say goodbye.” She stuck out her hand in a friendly gesture, not entirely expecting him to grab it, yet pleasantly surprised when he did. “Stay safe, ok?”

She gave him a smile before turning and starting the long walk toward the cliff that would lead her back down to the ground. She just barely heard him mutter a quiet, “Stay safe.”

He seemed like a nice person. She hoped he didn’t end up getting himself killed.

* * *

 

Link watched Eira leave, his eyes on her form until she was just a speck in the distance. His purpose, ever since the king told him, weighed heavily on his mind. He would have to conquer this evil, he would have to face the darkness alone.

He would do it for people like her. She was nothing more than a girl caught up in the mess of the world, just trying to survive. He would do it for those he couldn’t remember, whose very existence pressed at the corners of his mind. He would do if for Zelda. It was his duty as the hero.

He could not fail.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I never actually found the Old Man in the Woodcutter's House during the game, so it never occurred to me that it was his house lol. I found out when I looked up a picture of the inside, but oh well.


	2. A Choice

Link was not expecting to see Eira again so soon. When they had parted on the Great Plateau, it had seemed like their journeys would take them in separate directions. So when he saw her running from a rather large moblin just below the cliffs, he was quite surprised. She had said that she climbed down, so he assumed that he would beat her down and they would never cross paths.

His plans did not work out as he had crossed paths with a rather large stone monster and had to find a proper weapon to kill it (his rather small, meek sword did not do the damage he was hoping for).

She did not draw her sword, but he supposed that she would not be able to do much against a monster that was more than twice her size. He pulled his own weapon from the sheath on his back, jumping forward with a rather loud cry to kill the monster. It was hardier than the bokoblins from the Plateau, but was still no match for his skill.

It only took a second for Eira to notice she was no longer being chased. She slowed to a halt, glancing behind her to see the young man standing over the monster as it turned to a puff of smoke.

“Those horns can fetch a nice price as well.” Her breath came to her in pants as she smiled at him. “Or you can use them to make elixirs.”

His smile was small, but sincere. He leaned down to pick up what was left of the monster and placed it in his satchel. Her breath started to return to normal as they stood in the open field. She was looking out into the distance, her eyes trained on where he could hear the whining of a horse.

“I suppose I should thank you, Link.” She turned back to him, her eyes locking with his. “That moblin was much more persistent than usual. Ever since those towers rose, they’ve been much more aggressive.”

She could see the corners of his mouth turn down in the beginnings of a frown. He turned to look at the orange tower in the distance, his eyes downcast. She pursed her lips at his reaction.  
“Do you… know anything about them?” She tilted her head, taking in the nervous expression the flitted across his face before falling back into his normal stoic look.

“Not really,” he said. “I don’t know what they are, just that they respond to this.” He held up the strange tablet that was attached to his waist. He slowly put it back, taking in her confused expression before taking a step forward. “I didn’t mean to cause you harm.”

“I’m not hurt,” she said with a light shrug. She hadn’t meant to make him feel guilty. “The moblin would have lost interest eventually.”

Even as she said the words, her mind was wandering off in wild thoughts. She looked at him more closely, taking in everything about him. She thought of his supposed gaps in memories, the strange technology. Those strange towers appeared for him.

He looked at her curiously, but she did not say anything.

Her mom had told her stories about the hero when she was a child. They were nomads and often saw glimpses of Calamity Ganon’s terror as they travelled to the next safe area to settle down for a few weeks. She never really believed that the hero would return, despite how often her mother would say that it was true. Now, as she stared at Link, she couldn’t help think that maybe…

No. Hope was a dangerous thing. He was just a kid trying to survive like her.

She clenched her jaw, her teeth grinding slightly. “You’re going to Kakariko Village, right?”

“Yes.” He took another step toward her and she fought the urge to step back. “But I don’t really know how to get there.” He looked away, toward the mountains in the distance.

Eira bit her lip, a choice before her. If he was the hero (and that was a big if), then him getting to Kakariko village could very well mean the fate of the world. But she could also go back to her parent, simply sit back at life happen as it always did, moving with the flow of the world.

“I can show you,” she finally said.

Link didn’t react at first before he shook his head. “I don’t want to trouble you.”

“It’s no trouble,” she said. She paused for a second. Pulling her bad off her back, she glanced inside. She had a few things in there that would probably sell better at Kakariko village than anywhere else. They were secluded from the rest of the world and hardly ever left their village. Not only that, but the carrots she had bought the last time she was there would make her climb up to the Great Plateau that much more bearable. “I actually need to go there myself.”

“I thought you said you don’t go there,” he said. She was surprised he even remembered what she said. “You said you were only there once before.”

“That’s true.” She gave him a nod. “But I could use some supplies from there.”

Link blinked a few times as he looked at Eira. Her hood was down, her brown hair tangled from running. He did not want to be alone, but he also knew that he did not want to get anyone else tangled up in the dangers that he had to face now.

“Only if you want to.”

* * *

 The road to the Shekiah village was long and Link kept scaring off the horses long before they had a chance to catch one. Well, he had managed to catch one before immediately being thrown off with one strong buck.

Eira laughed quietly. After a few tries, he finally able to calm a horse down enough to ride it somewhat cautiously. He rode it over to her, holding out a hand. With a grin, she shook her head before turning to a nearby horse. Her attempt at getting on was much easier than his, and she was able to soothe it just as him. Once she was seated back on the horse, she looked at him with a smile. She saw him smile in return.

They rode for a long while, the sun arching through the sky. Link would stop to talk to each person they crossed paths with, and as much as she wished to stop him, she couldn’t bring herself to. He didn’t talk much in general, so she would not deprave him of conversation. She was just worried that they would cross paths with someone who did not have their best interest at heart.  
The closer they got to Kakariko Village, the more that anxiety grew. There were bound to be more Yiga Clan members there. If Link saw her worry, he made no comment.

They turned into the walled valley that would lead them into the village, talking to the travellers and merchants as they passed by. Link stopped his horse as he saw a man just standing on the side of the rode. With a small click of his tongue and a gentle nudge of his heels, he started to move toward the man. Eira’s hair stood on edge as she looked at the man.

“Link,” she whispered to him.

He looked back at her, seeing the small amounts of fear in her eyes. He was about to turn back to her, but the man had already seen them.

“Have you heard of the Yiga Clan, my friends?” He took a step forward, a large smile plastered across his face.

Eira’s arms tensed, but she did not want to move them to her weapon just yet. There was always the possibility that they could talk around this.

“We are always looking for more members.”

Link looked back at his companion, seeing her tense and uncomfortable. She had mentioned that the Yiga Clan was dangerous the night before in the strange house on the Plateau.

“I’m not interested, sir.” She finally managed to say. Her voice shook slightly, but her gaze was unwavering.

“And what about you, young man?” His eyes slide to Link, scanning his face before resting on his ears. “It seems you’re a hylian.”

Link shook his head to the man’s offer. Sensing the danger, he shuffled his horse closer to Eira’s. The man before them shrugged, a disappointed look flitted across his face.

“I was told to report any young, hylian men.” He pulled out a weapon, a puff of smoke enveloping him before clearing. “I suppose I could just kill you instead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading


	3. Divergence

The Yiga Clan member’s face was obscured by a mask, but Eira could feel him leering at Link as he brandished his wicked looking sickle. The young man didn’t even hesitate before he was off his horse, his sword drawn and pointed at the ground. Eira recognized the reluctance on his face– it was something that plagued many people who had to go up against another person. A monster was one thing, but to fight someone like you… it was difficult.

After a second of silent staring, the man rushed toward Link. His shield was out before the man reached him, the metal clanging in the quiet valley. Link’s horse started, standing on two legs in a panic.

Biting her lip, Eira pulled her sword and slid off the her horse just as the Yiga Clan man disappeared in a cloud of smoke. There was a beat of nothing, her muscles tense, before he reappeared directly about Link. He barely had time to roll out of the way before man’s blade was embedded in the ground where he once stood.

She didn’t allow herself to think as she sprung forward, her sword catching him in the side as he jumped away. Her hands were shaking. She knew how to defend herself, but she hardly ever took the offensive in her encounters (which were all with monster, mind you– nothing with great intelligence).

Link, however, looked right at home as he took advantage of the opening she left. His blade slid into the man easily. The man retreated, blood pouring from his wound. Without saying anything, he disappeared, leaving behind some bananas (Eira found that quite strange) and his weapon.

Link didn’t say anything as he talked over to sickle, just cleaned his sword off in the grass and picked up the vicious blade. He toed the bananas before looking at Eira. Her face was pale and she looked upset. He understood what she was feeling and felt incredibly guilty that she had been dragged into this situation.

“Are these worth anything?” His eyes were bright when Eira finally met them, trying to hide behind humor. She could see his worry and other emotions buried deep inside of him, but she also could see how he smothered them under everything else. It was something she completely understood.

“No,” she said. “But if you cook them, they make you stronger for a short period of time.” She saw him blink, confused. “They’re called mighty bananas. Don’t really know how it works.”

Link hummed slightly as he pocketed the fruit. There was still some tension in the air, but Eira payed it no mind as she patted her horse gently. It hadn’t gone that far, still within the high walls of the valley. She couldn’t imagine having to find her way back to her parents on foot. Coaxing the horse forward, she started back toward the town, stopping to wait for Link to do the same.

“I’m sorry that you were in danger because of me.” His words hung in the air. Eira didn’t turn to look at him, but she could almost picture his tense shoulders and too serious face. She had only known him for a short amount of time, but his expression never really changed. He truly was the picture of stoicism.

“The Yiga Clan terrorizes everyone,” she finally said. “It wasn’t because of you.”

She could tell from his silence that he felt otherwise.

“The world is a dangerous place.” She could see the village now, hear the peaceful bustle of the people living in relative safety. “That’s just how it is. Even before the Great Calamity, there were monsters and dangers.”

Link was now beside her, but his eyes were glued to the ground. Eira bit her lip. He looked so lost that she wished there was something she could do. But she couldn’t. She was just a nomad trying to survive in what was left of the world. She couldn’t help anyone.

The said nothing more as they entered the village. They left the horses at the entrance, not wanting to bring them in. Link looked around, taking in all the Sheikah running around, going about their daily lives. A few stopped to look at the strangers, taking in their clothes and their appearance. When their eyes fell to the young man, whispers broke out. Eira avoided all of them, pointing Link towards Impa’s house.

She watched him leave, waiting until he was at the stairs before moving on to the vendor she needed. The man who sold the carrots questioned her about her companion but she merely shrugged and told him that she did not know much about him. She said that she met him in her travels and agreed to help him to his destination.

It was the truth. She just left out the part where she found him on the Great Plateau with no memory and how she was pretty sure he was the hero meant to slay Calamity Ganon. That was too complicated and somewhat speculation.

He said nothing else as he handed her her carrots and let her go. She glanced back at the house Link had disappeared into, unsure if she should just leave or wait to say goodbye. She turned back toward the entrance to the village. She had to get home.

“Eira!”

She blinked a few times, turning back to see Link hurrying towards her. She tilted her head as he slid to a stop in front of her. The tablet on his belt clicked quietly at the motion.

“Are you leaving?” His breath out of breath per say, but his exhales were a bit laborious. His eyes didn’t betray much emotion, but she had come to expect that from him.

She nodded. “I didn’t know how long you would be. I didn’t want to bother you.” She gave him a small smile that he tried to return. It didn’t quite look like a happy smile, more like a slightly pained grimace, but she accepted it. “There’s a clothing store over there. Maybe you can get out of that outfit.”

“What wrong with my clothes?” Like always, his voice was quiet, as if unsure if what he was saying was right. He looked genuinely confused.

“They don’t fit you?” She raised an eyebrow. “They have holes?”

Link looked down at himself. He looked as if he was seeing his outfit for the first time as he let of a quiet, “Oh.” Eira gave him a smile, not wanting him to feel too bad. The last thing she needed was to ruin the poor boy’s self esteem.

There was silence for a beat before she looked back toward the entrance of the town. “I really should be heading out. My parents will start to worry.”

Link nodded. Eira held out her hand, looking him in the eye. Once he grasped it, she gave him a smile. “May the Goddess’ fortune smile upon you.” It wasn’t much, but it was the only thing she could think to say. If he was who she thought, he would very much need the Goddess to make it through what he had to do.

He gave another solemn nod. “May our paths cross again one day.”

With that, she left.

She got on her horse and rode from Kakariko Village. She rode through the vast wilderness until she reached the place where her parents had set up their camp. They had not moved, knowing that their daughter would return on her own time. As she settled down, once again at home, she knew that she would see Link again. She knew, deep down, that their paths have converged. 

* * *

 

Link watched Eira leave. He was glad, in a way, that she left. He didn’t think he could live with himself if someone died for him. He couldn’t remember those who died for him before, but he knew that he didn’t want to go through that pain again.

Never again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you like Link's characterization in this? Is he too chatty? Let me know what you think. I'm always interested to know!


	4. Convergence

When Eira saw Link again, much had changed. She was resting at the Dueling Peaks Stable for the time being. Her parents and her had been separated by some stalfos late at night, so she was waiting for their return (they had always told her to go to a stable when lost). The last thing she was expecting was for him to ride up in strange armor and an even stranger glint in his eyes.

He didn’t see her sitting at the fire pit at first as he slowly moved his horse to the pen (she noticed it was the same horse that he caught on his way to Kakariko Village). His eyes never strayed from right in front of him and his face never changed from the serious semi-scowl. She almost didn’t want to disturb him. Almost.

“Hey, stranger,” she finally called. His head whipped around faster than she thought possible, his eyes wide and his face losing some of the harshness. “Didn’t think I’d be running into you.”

She raked her eyes down his outfit, which was an amalgamation of colors and leather that coalesced into an outfit that somehow made sense. It was a far cry from the dirty, beaten clothes she had found him in.

She didn’t miss the way his eyes roved over her as well, watching as the zeroed in on her bruised and cut up cheek. She didn’t miss the way he tensed and his jaw clenched.

“Eira.” He nodded in head in greeting. His eye skittered around before finally settling on the seat across from her. His movements were stiff and jerky as he sat down. It looked like he was avoiding eye contact. She didn’t mind all that much; she knew her face was busted up.

“How have you been faring in your journey,” she asked to break the silence. His eyes jerked to her, but his face betrayed nothing. His eyes strayed to her cheek once more. “Any lucky remembering anything?”

“I… I remember a zora,” he said quietly. His voice cracked in the middle, betraying his emotions. “A friend.” He took a shuddering breath- in through the nose, out the mouth. “She’s gone now.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” And she was. Her heart went out to him. She couldn’t imagine remembering someone like that.

“Yeah, me too.” They sat in silence for a while, just watching the flames flicker as the sun slowly sunk below the horizon. Link would occasionally run his hand down his face and let out a sigh. Eira wasn’t sure how it was possible, but he seemed to have aged five years in just the week since she saw him last. “What happened?”

She blinked in confusion. He jerked his chin toward her cheek, his eyes guarded in the low light. She let out a quiet, “Oh, that.” She gave him a grin, the bruise twinging at the movement. “My parents and I were attacked by stalfos late last night. One clipped me in the face when I went to grab my bag.”

“Does it hurt?” he asked. His eyes were glued to the ground in front of him, but she could hear the concern in his voice. He glanced up and caught her gaze and she saw all the pain and guilt that he kept hidden behind his stoic looks and silence.

“Not really. Only when I move it.” She looked up at the sky, suddenly uncomfortable in his piercing gaze. She knew that he wanted to say more, but was not surprised when they lapsed into silence instead.

“Pain is temporary, Link.” She wasn’t quite sure why she broke the silence to tell him that, but the words were out there now. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, but said nothing. Suddenly, words spilled from her mouth, wanting to ease the guilt she had seen in him earlier. “It may feel like it’ll last forever, but it never does.”

He knew she wasn’t just talking about her face anymore. He knew she was trying to comfort him. And while he knew it was a bad idea to let her in, he let her. He let her words wash over him and sink in. “How can you be sure?”

“Because…” She paused, trying to think of the words. “Because something else will come along and suddenly that pain– that terrible, horrible, pain– is nothing more a blip in your life. Something bigger always comes.”

“And what if it’s just more pain?” Link could feel her eyes boring into him as he stared at the fire. Even without his memories of his failure, what he had to do weighed heavily on his shoulders. He knew that he was responsible for the fate of the world. For the life that everyone, that Eira, was forced to live. Everywhere he turned just seemed to lead to more heartache and pain.

“Then you just keeping pushing through until you find something better.” The conviction in her voice made him look up. There was a fire in her eyes, a glint that took him by surprise. “The world won’t yield to you, Link. You have to make it.”

Link had always been a slave to destiny. He was the hero. There were no if, ands, or buts about it. He was meant to save the world or fail and let it fall into ruin. The thought of taking control of his life was almost foreign to him. Before he knew who he was, before he knew of his fate, he thought he had been doing just that. He thought that working for the royal family was his way of taking the reins in his existence. When he found out that’s what he was always meant to do, he stopped believing that he could take control.

Eira never had a destiny to think about. She was a nomad. She travelled and she survived. To her, it was almost second nature to hope for something better, to push for a better life. It’s why she climbed the Great Plateau the first time (and why she did it every time after). She lived from moment to moment, pushing herself to find her moments of happiness. She saw life not as one road leading to an unavoidable end, but a path that diverged and converged on so many different routes.

“I’m sorry,” she finally said. “I shouldn’t have said anything.” If he was the hero, he didn’t need some girl telling him about destiny and life.

Eira stood up, sending him a tired a smile across the fire. She went inside the stable, stretching out on the bed she had paid for earlier in the day. It didn’t take her long to fall asleep.

* * *

 

When she woke the next morning, she was surprised to see Link in a bed as well. She honestly thought he would get back to his journey after a short pit stop. But he was human, she supposed.

She carefully pulled her boots on, not wanting to wake the others scattered throughout the refuge. Taking stock of the people, she felt a twinge in her gut when she realized that her parents were not among them. They knew this land extremely well. They knew that this was the closest stable to where they had been staying. They should have been here by now…

She quickly left the building before she could dwell on her inner turmoil. She wouldn’t allow herself to worry until she knew she definitely had something to worry about. There were plenty of things that could have delayed them on their way to the stable.

She let out a shuddering breath, staring at the water a little ways away. Everything’s going to be fine. Even as she thought it, even as she told herself she wouldn’t start worrying, she felt the familiar sense of pain seeping into her being.

“Are you all right?” His voice was quiet and unsure, as if he didn’t know whether or not to approach her.

“They’re not here.”

“Oh,” he said. He placed his hand on her shoulder and he could feel it shaking beneath his palm. He had never seen her more than slightly ruffled (even during the Yiga Clan ordeal, she seemed oddly calm despite her apparent fear). He didn’t know how to comfort her; he barely addressed his own feelings. How could he hope to help her.

“Pain is temporary.” The words felt hollow on her tongue, but she said them anyway.

Link squeezed her shoulder before retracting his hand. He understood now. That phrase, it was the same as his quietness. Her insistence that someone could make the world bow to them was the same as him internalizing everything as he took on the weight of the world. It was how they dealt with their burdens. How they pushed through the pain and anger and sadness and everything else the world and destiny threw at them.

“Pain is temporary,” he whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll admit, I'm not entirely sure how I want this story to end up. But here goes nothing. Also I'm a philosophy nerd so sorry if this got a bit too fake deep.


	5. Grief

Deep down, Eira knew her parents were gone. They should have been there long ago, but still she waited. Link had departed the morning after their somewhat intense conversation, not long after he found her staring out into the distance. It had been five days since then. They would have been there by then if they were still alive.

She thought that she would feel pain. She thought that she would feel anger. But honestly? She felt almost nothing. It was like all of her emotions had drained from her being, leaving her with nothing but emptiness. She didn’t cry like she thought she would. She didn’t scream out in pain. All she felt was a tightness in her chest and a heaviness in her heart.

It was… scary.

Shouldn’t she be feeling something over the death of her parents? Was she… was she broken? A horrible person? She loved her parents more than she could even articulate so why did she feel almost nothing?

Was that how Link felt, knowing that he should be grieving but unable to actually feel it? She didn’t know the answer to that. All she knew is that she couldn’t stay at the stable any longer. Every passing moment was just a reminder that her parents were gone and she was alone.

She shouldered her bag, hooked her sword in place, and left. She was on foot, but that didn’t bother her; the repetitive motion of putting one foot in front of the other was a good way to take her mind off of her thoughts. She didn’t want to think anymore. She just wanted to keep moving.

* * *

 

There were monsters everywhere. With every passing day, Calamity Ganon’s influence gained a bit more ground, pushing into the once vibrant life of the area. She could see toxic looking sludge creeping over hills and lizalfos hiding in wait for someone to talk too close. This was the world she grew up in and yet it was still so different.

There were towers and shrines now peppering the landscape, attracting monsters and scavengers alike as they all tried to make sense of the changing world. She knew that Link had something to do with their appearance (or at the very least the contraption on his hip did). She knew that he felt guilty about his participation in their appearance.

But what she knew made very little difference to her at that moment. The world was changing and she would have to change with it. Getting stuck in the past could very well kill her in the end, as it almost did when Link saved her from the moblin at the base of the Great Plateau. She couldn’t rely on someone swooping in to save her. Link was a hero, but not just for her.

Which is why she was content to never see him again. She thought he was interesting and pleasant enough to be around. He didn’t talk all that much (the exception being that night at the stable, but she supposed he was just emotional), but she quite liked his company. She didn’t mind the silence all that much and he was quite handy to have around. But despite that, he had his own path to follow, and that path probably did not involve her.

At least, that’s what she told herself. The sentiment was getting harder to believe as she watched him exit a shrine not to far from where she was standing. He hadn’t spotted her yet, and she was contemplating just letting him walk away and not see her. It had to just be a coincidence, no?

Even she had a hard time believing that. She barely ever saw someone twice, let alone three time in wildly different locations several weeks apart. Before she could figure out what she wanted, he spotted her. She gave a small wave to him as he started to approach her.

“Eira,” he said as a greeting as he stopped in front of her.

“Link.” She took him in. His outfit had changed yet again; he was now wearing something that looked very sheikah if the emblem on the chest was anything to go by. It looked nice on him, though the shirt seemed to cling to him as if it was a second skin. “I see you’re doing well.”

He nodded, his eyes roaming over her. Her face was now a sickly yellow color but the cuts have mostly disappeared– a few looked like they’d be scarring, but they weren’t that big. He almost let out a breath of relief at seeing she was healing just fine.

“Did you find your parents?” He knew immediately that he should not have asked that question. Her eyes dulled and she looked at her feet, suddenly much more interested in the dirt than the man in front of her.

“No.” She didn’t say anything else. She didn’t have to. Link knew exactly was left unsaid. His hand came to a rest on her shoulder, letting her know that he understood. “So I left. I couldn’t be there any longer.”

Link nodded even though she wasn’t looked at him. He knew the pain she was experiencing. He knew the grief, the burden. And he knew it was his fault. The monsters had been so much more aggressive because he was challenging Calamity Ganon’s power. The being knew he was coming and was doing everything in his power to stop him. Eira’s parents were just caught in the crossfire of his fight.

They had been silent for the better part of a minute, Eira just staring at the ground while Link battled with what to say. “It’s dangerous to be out here by yourself,” he finally said. He watched as he eyes slowly lifted to look into his own.

“I know.” He saw determination flicker back into her eyes for a second before they were filled with sadness once more. “But I can’t sit around and do nothing.”

“I know.” He knew that perpetual motion was the best way to keep the thoughts at bay. He knew that all too well. “I… I could use a travel companion.”

She blinked up at him, tilting her head to the side just slightly. “No offense, Link, but I don’t think I can keep up with you. Not with your fancy paraglider and, uh, thing–” she motioned helplessly to the tablet on his belt. “I’d probably just slow you down.”

“You didn’t slow me down on the way to Kakariko Village,” he said. “In fact, I think you actually got me there faster.”

Eira narrowed her eyes once more, taking in his face. “If you’re sure, I guess.”

Link nodded and gave her a small smile. He was being selfish; he was aware that the best way to do his journey was alone. But he was tired of having everything fall on him. He was tired of behind alone. He needed someone to be with so it didn’t feel like he was drowning in the pressure. He knew that she had figured out who he was, that he was the hero, but she never changed the way she acted around him. It was as if he was just another traveller passing through her life. It was refreshing.

Eira was aware that what she was doing was probably going to get herself killed. She wasn’t as skilled as Link, nor was she a hero. But she didn’t want to be alone. She didn’t want to be alone and have to think about her parents or anything else that came with her grief. If she kept moving forward, it would never catch her; she was stay locked in and eternal limbo of numbness. Link was her way of motion. He would keep pushing and she would never have to stop and let everything catch up.

She would latch onto this chance and just keep moving until everything was fine or she was dead. And she was ok with that.


	6. Worry

Travelling with Link was more peaceful than Eira thought it would be. They didn’t talk to each other all the time, but the quiet was calming. She couldn’t follow him into the shrines– not that she really wanted to– but Link had given her a shield and bow, teaching her how to defend herself in the slow moments at night. Sometimes Link would exit the shrines bruised and battered. He never said anything to Eira about it, but she was worried nonetheless. What were in those shrines?

It was when they were at Hateno Beach that she began to fear for him. After they cleared the beach of monsters (per some quest from someone or another), Link decided to take a rickety raft to the shrine in the water.

“Are you sure you’ll be ok?” Eira said, her eyes never leaving the orange glow in the water. Link was standing on the raft, searching through his pack for a deku leaf. He looked up at her, a smile on his face.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.” He put his hands on his hops after a second, not finding what he was looking for. “Is the deku leaf in your bag?”

She shrugged off her pack and leafed through it. It was folded in the bottom. “Yeah.” Tiptoeing closer to the water, she threw it at him. It landed in the water with a pitiful plunk. They both stared at it for a short while before Link sighed and jumped in the water. He wadded through the waist deep water to grab the leaf before heading back to the raft.

“The water isn’t going to kill you, Eira.” It was easy for him to say when he was wearing zora armor (where he kept– or even got them– all these clothes was a mystery to her). She honestly could only swim short distances and there were often monsters littering the water. She also did not have as many changes of clothes as him.

“I was never a fan of the ocean,” she said, eyeing it from where she stood on the sandy beach. “There’s just… too much.”

Link chuckled slightly. Crouching on the raft so he was more level with her, he gave her a smile. Her face had returned to its normal color, the bruise long gone, but she did have several silvery scars across her cheek. He thought it gave her a roguish look that suited her. She blinked at him as he stared, unsure of what he was doing.

“That is why it’s called the ocean.” He stood back up, his cheerful grin never leaving him. Since she joined him, he’s felt more optimistic about his journey. He still had not encountered another Divine Beast besides Vah Ruta, but he had been growing stronger as he travelled to many different shrines. He also realized how lonely he had been during his travels alone. He never really thought that silence bothered him until he had someone to fill it with.

“Sure, sure.” She waved her hand flippantly and ignored the way he laughed at her. “Don’t you have a shrine to get to?”

He stopped laughing, though he still had a grin on his face, and regarded her. “Are you sure you want to stay here? It’ll probably be safe at the shrine.”

“We just cleared the beach, Link,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “There aren’t any monsters left.”

“You never know,” he said, shrugging. “I think there might be a blood moon coming up.”

Eira looked at the sky with a raised eyebrow. It was barely even midday. “Are you planning on being in there for eight hours?”

“Some of the puzzles are hard.”

Eira laughed at that. There had been times when she was waiting for him for close to an hour before he came back out of the shrine. He often complained that they were never straightforward and were actually quite cryptic. He didn’t understand that if he was the only one who could activate them why they had to test him like that.

“I’m sure it’ll be fine,” she said, parroting his earlier statement. He shot her a playful glare before turning back to the water. With a wave, he started off toward the shrine.

* * *

 

It was forty minutes before he emerged. Eira had been sitting under a tree, glancing at the shrine anxiously every so often. While there were times when it took over an hour to complete the puzzle, most of them took under fifteen minutes. It was when it dragged on that she began to worry.

She let out a sigh of relief when she saw him exit, but all her comfort turned to worry as she saw him stumble his way back to the raft. She sprung up to her feet, rushing toward the edge of the water. She couldn’t go any further, so she just had to watch him slowly, painfully, make his way to the shore. There were times when he would stop, seemingly to catch his breath, and those were when she was scared that he wouldn’t start back up again.

She lost her parents to this world– a pain that was still ever present in her mind. She couldn’t lose Link too.

As soon as the raft was close enough, she sprinted into the water, forgetting momentarily her fear. All she could think about was getting to him and making sure he was fine. He was slouched up against the mast as she clambered rather gracelessly onto the raft. He glanced at her with half lidded eyes and she rushed to support him.

He was battered, bruises running up and down his arms, cuts on his lips and on his arms. His clothes appeared to be slightly singed, but Eira couldn’t be sure. Taking a deep breath, she forced her thoughts away from his injuries and focused on helping him off the raft and to the beach.

He laid sprawled out in the sand, saying nothing. His eyes were closed and if it weren’t for the shallow rise and fall of his chest, Eira would think him dead. She inched closer to him, worry evident in her eyes. She didn’t know much about medicine, but she did have a few salves that might help. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder as she kneeled next to him. He cracked his eye open– the other was beginning to swell in a way that she hadn’t noticed before.

“I have some medicine,” she said slowly. He could see the fear in her eyes as she took him in and he felt a pang of guilt. He didn’t want to make her worry, not after everything she’s been through. “Do you mind if I touch you.” He tried to nod his head but his neck hurt, so he grunted instead, hoping she would understand.

She wasn’t quite sure if it was an affirmative or not, but she wouldn’t feel better until something had been done about his injuries. She rummaged through her bag until she found what she needed. When he didn’t pull away from her fingers, she assumed that he was fine.

As gently as she could, she applied the salve to his injuries. Her touches were feather-light as she didn’t want to cause him any more pain. He moaned slightly as she spread the paste over his cuts, but did not stop her. The relief was almost instant and he opened his good eye to regard her.

She was hovering over him, her lip firmly between her teeth as she worked on him. The sun was low in the sky now (they could not stay there much longer) and seemed to caste her in an ethereal orange glow. He was reminded, in that instant, of someone he knew long ago.

He knew that it was Zelda he was thinking of.

He closed his eye again as Eira started to hum quietly as she worked. From what little he remembered about the princess, her and Eira were nothing alike. While the princess cared about him– as he cared for her– she never understood him and his burden. She had her own path to follow and her own responsibilities to follow. She was a savior also.

Eira… Eira understood him in a way Zelda never could. The girl before him did not have the weight of worlds on her shoulders but she had experienced loss and pain all the same. She was broken, beaten. But she never let that stop her. She understood his need for perpetual motion, his need to bury his emotions.

Link took a deep breath, letting his pain wash over him for a few more seconds before he will it away.

He sat up suddenly, catching Eira by surprise. She stumbled back, dropping the salve into the sand next to her. She watched him with wide eyes as stretched his arms, wincing as he went, before he stood up. He dusted himself off and held out a hand to her. She grabbed it hesitantly and allowed him to haul her to her feet.

“Are you… all right?” She tilted her head to the side. He nodded, giving her a smile that looked more like a grimace. “What happened in there?”

“It was a test of strength.” He didn’t elaborate, nor did she ask further.

With one last worried glance in his direction, she walked with him toward Hateno Village to collect their spoils.


	7. Interim

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has been commenting on this story! Your kind words honestly mean a lot to me. Sorry this chapter is so short, but it's really just a transition.

Link did not want to stay in Hateno Village for very long. In his eyes, they had finished what needed to be done, so they had to be on their way. So the morning after finishing Chaas Qeta’s shrine, Link had packed his bag and was shaking Eira awake. It was before the sun even broke the horizon and one of the few times he was awake before her. If he was being honest, he was in too much pain to sleep much.

  
“Link?” Eira murmured groggily as he shook her shoulder. She rolled to face him, squinting up at his face. A look of concern passed over her when her eyes landed on his (very) swollen right eye. “What’s wrong? Are you ok?”

  
“I’m fine.” He didn’t look fine. His right eye was almost completely swollen shut, his arms turning an alarming shade of blue and purple. “This is the time we normally leave.” He looked at Eira expectantly.

  
She raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Link, you need to rest for a few days. I already spoke with the innkeeper.” She paused, taking in his blank look. “You’re in no condition to be out in the world. You can’t even stand up straight.” Link puffed out his chest, trying to straighten his back, only to wince and fall back into his slouched posture. He definitely pulled something.

  
“I’ve had worse.” It was true. He had been hurt many times in his trials, some so severe Mipha’s spirit would have to basically resurrect him. He also knew that before the fall of Hyrule, before the Great Calamity, he had been hurt to the degree that he was dead and it took a hundred years to bring him back.

A few cuts and scrapes were nothing.

  
“Link, you can’t even see out of one of your eyes. How do you expect to fight anything?”

  
Link blinked a few times with his one good eye. “As long as I keep everything to my left, it’ll be fine.”

  
“That’s really stupid,” Eira deadpanned. She sat up in her bed, patting the edge next to her. Link glanced at it before taking gently taking a seat. She sighed as he let out a pained groan.

“You’re a mess.” She looked him over, taking stock of all the cuts and bruises. Most seemed to be doing fine and none looked like they were going to get infected. He was lucky.

  
“We really should keep moving.” Link didn’t say what he was thinking, but Eira knew it anyway. _We have to keep moving; I have to save the world._ “I was thinking about heading to the Gerudo Desert.”

  
“That’s pretty far.” She had never been to the desert herself, but she had spoken to many Gerudo who passed through her camps. They were always so nice to her and her mother (they mostly just ignored her father). “And the sand will only agitate your wounds.”

  
Link looked at her out of the corner of his good eye. She had that look on her face– she was thinking about her parents. He knew she just wanted him to be safe so she didn’t lose anyone else. He let out a sigh, a frown pulling at his cheeks. It hurt, but he didn’t care. “How long?”

  
She looked at him blinked a few times, tilting her head. “Hmm?”

“How long do you want to stay?”

“At least until your eye is healed.” She didn’t tell him that it would take the longest out of his injuries, nor that it would take about two weeks. She knew he would never agree.

  
He mulled it over for a moment, knowing that she was right about his eye. He wouldn’t be able to fight without being able to see properly and Eira was not trained enough to take on the monsters they were bound to face. He had to look out for her now too. “Fine.”

* * *

 

Link was starting to catch on that his eye would take a bit more healing than he originally thought. Eira was suspiciously quiet about the fact but he did catch her knowing smiles as he checked the progress in the mirror.

  
It had been about a week since the test of strength and the swelling had gone down considerably. He no longer groaned in pain at every little movement he made. He was starting to feel normal again. His eye, however, was still a rather nasty shade yellow. He could see ok, but there were still times when his eyesight blurred. He hoped there wasn’t permanent damage.

  
Eira was flitting about the room, trying to throw together something to eat from their limited supplies. The shop in town did not have much variety and they were starting to run low on their supplies from when they were on the road and hunting. Link’s eyes followed her as she hurried from place to place.

  
“Are you ok?” Link fought back a smile as she jumped, surprised by his sudden question. She clucked her tongue quietly before nodding. “Are you sure? You seem antsy.”

  
She sighed, hanging her head. “We’re running out of stuff. And while I know it’s for the best, I’m still a nomad. I’m not used to being in one place for so long.”

  
“Well, I can see out of my eye again,” Link said. She stopped and looked at him, narrowing her eyes on his face. “And I don’t feel like I lost a fight to a talus anymore.”

  
Eira looked like she was thinking it over. Pursing her lips, she walked over to him leaning down until her face was inches from his. Link blinked a few times, unsure how to take the sudden proximity. Opting to stay still, he felt his breath still in his chest as she clucked her tongue and pulled back.

  
“It does look like it’s doing better.” She had her hands on her hips as she regarded him. “You wanted to go to the Gerudo desert?”

  
“Yeah. It’s the closest divine beast that doesn’t involve climbing Death Mountain,” Link said. He stood after a second, starting to get his bag together. He looked inside, noting that the state of their supplies truly abysmal. “I don’t think I’m quite ready for that.”

  
“But you’re ready for one of the most extreme climates in Hyrule,” Eira said with a raised eyebrow.

  
“Exactly,” he confirmed. “It’ll take about a week to get there anyway. I should be fine by then.”

  
Eira knew it made sense. Link had been in mostly working order for a few days, but she was worried about him. He didn’t even seem to realize how hurt he had been when he exited that shrine. She was afraid that if something was truly wrong, he wouldn’t even know. So she made him stay put to make sure that he truly was fine.

  
“Fine,” Eira finally conceded. “But we’re going to try to avoid the monsters we encounter for now. No running into battle carelessly.”

  
Link pouted slightly, but nodded. “I think I can do that.”

  
Eira gave him a nod before grabbing her bag and stuffing the few things that were lying around into it. Slinging it onto her back, she straightened and looked at him. He was ready as well, standing patiently for her to finish up. Giving him a tired smile, she waved him on, ready to leave the inn and Hateno Village behind.

  
In a few weeks, she would be longing for the calmness of the town.


	8. In the Desert Cold

It took them about a week to get to the edge of the desert. Link’s wounds steadily faded until the only proof that it had happened at all was Eira’s memories of it. He didn’t mention it as he disappeared into new shrines they found along they way, but he would squeeze her hand gently before he descended below ground.

It was approaching night by the time they reached the Gerudo Canyon Stable, the setting sun a harsh bruise on the horizon. She would have gladly stayed at the stable until the sun rose once again, but it was full. Apparently many traveller stay there, hoping against hope that their loved one would somehow walk out of the desert alive.

It was a sad place, Eira decided.

Link looked at her, taking in her look of pity, and nodded once. They would keep moving, heading into the desert. They had heard tale of a bazaar not too far into the sandy wasteland, one that they could stay at until more light was available.

There was a slight drop into the desert, which Link jumped down first, holding out his hand for Eira to take. He held her steady as the sand shifted beneath her feet. Her hand clenched around his, and he smiled at her in reassurance.

The cold was already seeping into her bones. Link had changed into a warm doublet and Eira pulled her cloak closer to her body.

She was weary, keeping a close eye on their surrounds. Monsters became restless at night. Not to mention the stalfos that plagued the trail. She supposed she should just be thankful it wasn’t a blood moon tonight.

“I don’t think anything will come this close to the path,” Link said, breaking the silence.

She glanced at him. His breath puffed out in front of his face, his cheeks a rosy red. He looked calm in the faint light of the moon. He looked, for the first time since she’s known him, every bit the hero she knew him to be. The doubts about his mission, the sadness of loss– all of that was wiped away by a steely determination.

“Whatever you say.” Her teeth were chattering, but her words came out just fine. Link gave her a small smile.

It was then his hip started to glow. Eira was drawn to the strange tablet attached to his hip, the Sheikah emblem blazing a bright blue in the darkness. She knew what that meant– it had happened plenty of times in their travels.

There was a shrine nearby.

Link instantly looked at the tablet, his lip in between his teeth. His eyes met Eira’s, but she was already shaking her head.

“No.” Her voice was firm despite her shivers. “Not in the dark. Not with such low visibility.”

“I’ll go with you to the bazaar and then double back,” he said.

Eira looked at the sky, noting the position of the moon. She could see the bazaar in the distance, about another twenty minute walk. The sun would not rise in forty minutes. He would be alone in the darkness, heading into unknown territory.

“Can’t you just wait until the sun rises?” Eira took in his expression and knew the answer. “Link, you need to sleep. We’ve been walking all day.”

Link didn’t want to wait. Now that he was this close to another divine beast, he could feel the dark energy swirling around him. He could feel in thrumming through his veins in time with his pulse. He wanted to get to the Vah Naboris (if he was remembering correctly) as soon as possible. But he only need one more spirit orb before he could become even more powerful. He needed to become more powerful.

“I’ll be fine.”

Those orbs, however they worked, made it harder to kill him. He needed to get it.

“That’s what you said last time.”

There was silence. They were stopped on the trail, Link staring at the ground and Eira staring at him. He wouldn’t meet her eyes, so she stepped forward, placing her hands on his shoulder. He looked up, noticing how close she was and how cold her fingers were.

“You could have died at that shrine.” Her voice was quiet, but Link could hear the slight tremor. He knew it wasn’t from the cold. He could see her eyes glazing over slightly.

“That’s why I need to do this.” He placed his hands on top hers, before pulling her forward into his embrace. “I need to get stronger. It’s the only way I can beat this. The only way I can make the world safe.”

Eira didn’t move. She let him embrace her. Slowly, afraid that if she startled him, afraid he would retreat and the moment would be over, she put her arms around him. They were like that for a moment before she pulled back. She felt his arms linger before he dropped them to his sides.

“If you feel you have to do this, than I won’t let stop you.” She took a step back, turning to look at the bazaar. “Just... “ She turned back to look at him. “Just stay safe, ok?”

“I will.”

* * *

 

It was three hours later that he returned from the shrine. Between him dropping her off and then returning, it was about midnight we he trudged into the bazaar. Eira took him in critically, noting that he looked none the worse for wear.

He collapsed next to her at the fire, holding his hand out for the food he knew she had saved for him. She chuckled at she placed it in his hand, leaning back slightly to look at the stars.

“There might be a slight problem with getting into Gerudo Village.” Eira glanced over to him as he rolled into a sitting position, food in his hands.

“Oh?”

“They only let females into their town.”

Link sat straight up then, his eyes wide, his food forgotten. “What? Really?”

“Yeah,” she said. She lowered her voice, not wanting to disturb the others in the camp. “I also heard there was shrine there.”

“Hm…” Link stared at his food for a moment, taking in what she said. “That’s quite an issue.”

“I know,” she said. She smiled at him, and he knew she had been thinking about it. “But while you’re in the shrine, I can go into the town and see about trying to get you in.” She turned to face him, bringing her knees up to her chest. “I don’t want to sneak you in though… We don’t want to make the Gerudo angry.”

“So what are you suggesting?” Link said slowly, taking in her expression. He did not like the slight smirk on her face nor the strange glint in her eyes.

“Would you be opposed to dressing as a woman?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, I'm back. Sorry it's been a little bit. Thank you to everyone who's been reading this and I look forward to feedback if you want to say anything. Also, the title comes from a really cool one line poem called "The Forties" by Franz Wright. You should totally check it out.


	9. Seeing Green

Link was in the shrine. Eira was perusing the store in Gerudo Village. There was a outfit that she was  _ pretty _ sure would fit Link, but it was also very expensive. And Eira was broke. 

She sighed as she backed away from the clothes. She supposed she could just let Link borrow her spare clothes. They weren’t guaranteed to make him look like a female (he was definitely too muscular to pull off her outfit). 

Just as she turned, the woman behind the stand called out to her. She turned back, tilting her head to the side as she took in the very tall woman. She was much taller than Eira, though Eira was not very tall in general; she only came up to Link’s nose and he was not very tall. 

“Yes?” 

The woman was familiar, Eira realized, as she took in her features. She had seen several Gerudo during her travels around Hyrule in her childhood. She must have met her one day when she was younger. 

“Do you remember me, little vai?” The woman had a smile on her face. 

Eira narrowed her eyes, biting her lip in concentration. Where did she know her from? 

“I must admit, you have definitely grown up from when we first met,” she giggled. “You were just the cutest thing when you were young!”

It was then that it clicked. 

“Saula!” 

The Gerudo woman grinned at the girl and gave a nod. Eira had not seen Saula since she was ten years old. She had been separated from her parents during a lightning storm. There, hidden in the shade of a cliff, the woman had found her crying. 

When Eira had first seen the giant woman, she had started to cry harder, but with some soothing words from Saula, she had calmed her enough to get Eira to tell Saula her name. From there, she cared for Eira until she had taken her to the nearest stable to reunite with her parents. 

“So you do remember me!” she said.

“Of course I do,” Eira said excitedly. She had looked up to the Gerudo woman for many years, despite their short encounter. “I never really got to thank you for saving me back then. I was too beside myself.” 

“Ah, there is no need to thank me, little vai.” She placed a warm hand on Eira’s shoulder, nearly engulfing the entire thing with her palm. “It was my pleasure to help such a pleasant child.” 

Eira beamed up at her, the compliment really meaning a lot to her. Gerudo were usually very standoffish, so she was smitten with the fact that this one liked her quite so much (even though most of their interactions happened over six years ago. 

“Now, I saw you eyeing this wonderful set.” Saula waved her hand at the Gerudo outfit in front of her. “Are you interested? I think it would look lovely on you!” 

“Oh no!” Eira said, waving her hands in front of her helplessly. “It’s not for me, it’s for my friend!” 

“Hmm, I still think it would be perfect on  _ your  _ body.” Saula grinned as she watched Eira’s face turn an excellent shade of scarlet. She was so easy to fluster, it seemed. “But, I  _ guess _ I’d be willing to give it to you for your friend.”

“What? No!” Eira wouldn’t just  _ take  _ the outfit. Suala needed to make money somehow. “I can’t afford it, so we’ll just make do with what we have.” 

“Nonsense,” Saula said with a flick of her hand. “You are a friend.” 

“At least,” Eira said, holding out some money, “take something. I can give you about four hundred rupees.” 

* * *

Link was sitting outside Gerudo village waiting for Eira. He had finished the shrine a while ago, but she was still inside the village. He would be concerned if he didn’t know that the Gerudo’s were capable warriors who had a slight fascination with hylians. She would be more than safe inside those walls.

But still, he had grown fond of her in their time together. 

“Link!” 

He glanced over to the entrance to the village, and saw her looking around for him. He was about to call out to her to get her attention, but another man run up to her (how he did that in the sand, Link was not sure). 

Link frowned as the man inched closer and closer to Eira, obviously trying to pull something. She seemed oblivious, just talking to him and shifting from time to time to adjust the closing distance. 

As quickly as he could, Link strode over to them, a scowl on his face. Eira smiled when she saw him, though it dimmed slightly when she saw his face. The man in front of her instantly shrank back when he saw the newcomer, but stayed close to Eira all the same. 

“There you are, Link,” Eira said. She could sense the tension rolling off of her companion and it unnerved her some. “Bozai, here, has these boots that help him to walk on sand.” 

“Interesting.” Link moved closer to Eira, putting himself between her and the man. It made him uncomfortable, the way that Bozai looked at her. Like she was barely a person. “Did you get what we needed?” 

Eira was a bit confused as to why Link was talking to her over his shoulder. She also thought that it was quite rude that Link was blocking her from Bozai, but she chose not to question it. Bozai seemed to retreat into himself now that there was a new person in their midst, his awkward friendliness fading away. 

“Yeah, we’re all set.” Eira stood on her tiptoes to see over his shoulder and smile at Bozai. “It was nice meeting you. I’ll have to talk to you about those boots later!”

“R-right,” Bozai said. 

Link practically dragged Eira away from the man, back towards the shrine. He was amazed at how she could go from a world-weary traveller to an almost child-like girl who trusted indiscriminately. He knew that she could read people well, easily see who was a threat and who wasn’t, but she was absolutely clueless when it came to men who showed some interest in her. It had happened in Hateno Village as well, before he was laid up due to the shrine. One of the boys at the inn had be very touchy with her and she barely noticed.

“Are you ok, Link?” 

She twisted her wrist to grab onto his, concern shining in her eyes. It made him bite his lip. He knew he was being unreasonable. So, instead of an answer, he gave her a grin. 

“Did you get the outfit?” 

Instantly, her concern morphed into a devilish smirk. Link was not quite sure the Divine Beast was worth whatever she had planned for him. 

“Here!” She threw the cloth at him. “Go change.” 

Link hesitantly followed her orders, moving a few feet away until he was hidden behind the shrine. As he pulled the clothing over himself, he realized why she had that look on her face. There was actually very little clothing in the pile. 

Eira all but died laughing when he emerged from behind his cover. He was pulling anxiously at his top, trying to get it to cover more of himself. He knew that he had scars, ones that he himself had never seen, and now the whole world would see them. 

Eira noticed and gave him a reassuring smile. “You look great, Link.” There was still some traces of laughter in her voice, but Link let it slide. “If it makes you feel better…”

Link was unsure of what she was talking about until she pulled off her cloak. She didn’t take it off all that often, but even then she took it farther by pulling her scavenged armor and loose top over her head, leaving her in a black tube top. It ended just under her breasts and showed her stomach. 

Link felt his ears burn and was suddenly thankful for the veil covering his face. 

“Now we’re even,” she said with a smile, not noticing his embarrassment nor his glances. 

“Yeah,” he said. “Even.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is almost entirely from Link's point of view, but whatcha gonna do? I also figured it might be time for some little inklings of feelings lol


	10. Yiga

The Gerudo Village was much busier than Eira was expecting. There were women from almost race sitting in the town, escaping the heat of the day. Living mostly in the central region of the world (though they would sometimes go more towards Lanayru and Necluda), she did not see many other types of people other Zora– who were the only race not present as they would have dried up.

Link grabbed her hand gently, catching her attention. She noted that he seemed in slightly better spirits than when he exited the shrine, which she was thankful for. He jerked his head toward the staircase in the middle of the town and the gilded guards standing at the top.

“Impa told me to talk to the Elder’s to learn about the Divine Beasts,” Link said quietly. He had drawn in closer to her to prevent anyone from listening in on them.

Eira blinked a few times at the close proximity, but only nodded in response to his comment. “You go ahead. I’ll wait here.”

Link nodded and walked away. Eira watched him leave, noting that he really did look rather feminine in the outfit. But more than that, she was concerned with how he’d been acting. Ever since he exited the shrine, he’d been pretty on edge. He was, if she was being honest, acting like a mother cucoo. Had something happened to him in there? He didn’t seem to be sporting any new cuts or bruises, but maybe it was something else?

She was worried about him.

He had so much on his shoulders (the fate of the entire world, in fact) and in their travels together, she had really started to care for him. At first, he was simply a way to forget her grief– a method of striving forward and not dwelling on her parents, but he soon became a friend. Someone she would die for. Eira was never really any good at understanding emotions, but she knew that he was important to her and that’s all that mattered at the moment.

With a sigh, she sat down on the edge of a platform, staring off at the entryway she saw him disappear into. She hoped that he was ok.

* * *

 Link supposed of all the things Riju could have tasked him with, tracking down the Thunder Helm was not that bad. He had faced a few members of the Yiga clan since the first one in the mountain pass. They were formidable, but he had always been more skilled. It would not be too much of a bother to sneak into their base.

“I have a request, though,” Link said. He had already agreed to help, but he knew that Riju would listen to him.

“Oh?” She smirked slightly. “What do you request?”

“I have a friend here– her name is Eira.” Link looked back at the door behind him, toward where he left his companion. “Please, make sure she is safe while I’m gone.”

“Of course.” Riju nodded. “As long as she is within our walls, she will have nothing to fear.”

* * *

When Link left Riju’s throne room, he raised an eyebrow at the sight before him. Eira somehow managed to get half of the gerudo in the village around her, playing with her hair and trying to get her into some outfit or another. She looked very uncomfortable.

Amidst the commotion, she made eye contact with him, her eyes wide. Why is it that everytime he left her alone, she managed to end up in some sort of situation? How had she survived for so long in the wilderness when she seemed to just… attract attention?

“Link..le.. Linkle!” She yelled. He rolled his eyes at her rather pathetic attempt at covering up his male name, but started down the steps to hopefully help her anyway.

“Ah, this must be your friend you bought the clothes for!” one of the Gerudo exclaimed. She put her arm around Eira, yanking her away from the other Gerudo. “I hope that you are treating my dear Eira well!”

“Saula!” Eira muttered, her face turning red.

Link smiled slightly as he walked over. Gently, he grabbed her arm and pulled her away from the woman. He gave her a nod (he couldn’t very well talk with his not female voice) and directed Eira to a back corner of the town.

“What’s up, Link?” she asked, tilting her head. “Did you talk to the chief?”

“Yeah,” he said quietly. He unhooked one side of his veil, running his hand down his face. “I have to go to a Yiga Clan base not to far from here and get some relic back. The relic is the only way that I can safely get on Naboris.”

Instantly, Eira’s face pinched in concern. She grabbed his arm tightly. “Are you going alone? Is she sending some warriors with you?”

He shook his head and her eyes widened.

“Please, Link, ask her for support,” she begged. “The Yiga Clan… they’re viscous. Especially the big ones– the blademasters.”

“She won’t send anyone,” Link said. “I’ll be fine, Eira. I always am.”

“No, you’re always alive,” she growled. “There’s a mighty big difference between alive and fine.”

Eira looked down at the ground. Link watched as her jaw clenched and unclenched, moving back and forth as she tried to fight down her emotions. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to his chest. He felt her tense before relaxing, her arms wrapping around his waist. Her face was buried in his chest and he rested his chin on the top of her head.

He could feel her shaking.

“I promise you I will return.”

She looked up at him, tears making her eyes shine. She swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

“I’ll hold you to that, hero.”

That was the first time she ever acknowledged who he was.

* * *

It was two days after Link left. She missed him, but more than that, she was terrified. Was he alive? Did they kill him?

The Gerudo chief had given her free lodge at the inn, but she hardly slept, opting to stay in the center part of town, watching the entrance to the village until she nodded off. Sometime Saula would stay with her– she would carry her to the inn when she fell asleep in the cold night air.

She had taken to playing with some of the Gerudo children, especially a young girl named Dalia who wanted to plant a garden. But it did little to take her mind off of Link and how very dead he could be.

She had faith in him. She knew he was an excellent warrior. But why was he gone for so long?

* * *

Four days. Four days of nothing. It was like waiting for her parents all over again.

She was sitting in Dalia’s garden trying not to cry, when she heard footsteps approaching. With a huff, she swiped her hand across her eyes, trying to clear them.

“Eira?”

Eira felt her heart drop. She barely registered herself moving before she jumped at him. Her arms were around his neck, and his were around her waist. She felt him wobble as he struggled to keep his balance, but heard him chuckle quietly at her as she dug her face into his chest.

“I thought you were dead!” Eira all but yelled at him when she pulled back, smacking his shoulder lightly. “What happened? You don’t _look_ hurt.”

“I’m fine, Eira,” he said. He was smiling, his blue eyes staring intently at her face. “The guy in charge was… strange.”

“You fought Kohga?” she exclaimed.

“How do you know about him?” Link asked. His brow furrowed as he tried to think about how she would know him?

Was she… secretly a Yiga member?

“The footsoldiers mention him all the time when they attack you,” she said.

Oh. Right.

Link laughed slightly at his thoughts, before smiling at Eira’s confusion. Now all that was left to do here was fight Naboris and free another Divine Beast.

Things seemed to finally be going his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's, uh, been a while. School, ya know? Anyway, hope you like it and if you did maybe drop a comment or a kudos or whatever you want. See ya on the flip side.


	11. Remembrance

The desert was calm as they walked toward the north. They were heading toward the Tabantha Region, toward the next beast. Every once in a while, he would catch the sight of Naboris, standing tall on the mountain, and Link felt himself sigh. He was victorious (though Thunderblight Ganon was a much more formidable foe than Waterblight), but he was left with a deep sadness.

“I knew them, you know,” he said quietly.

Eira turned to him slightly. She was beside him, her cloak wrapped tightly around her to ward off the blowing sand, despite the heat. She didn’t prompt him, but he knew she was listening. She always did.

“The champions,” he finally elaborated. “The ones who piloted the Divine Beasts before the Calamity. They were my friends.”

Eira nodded slowly, her eyes straying toward the large machine in the distance. She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and gave him a soft smile. His eyes gave away his pain. She didn’t know what it’s like, to lose someone and and then lose the memory of them. But she knew grief. She knew the pain of sorrow.

“They’re not gone, you know,” she said softly. “They Goddess welcomes all of her children into the Sacred Realm.”

He said nothing for a second before shaking his head. “They were stuck in there for a hundred years.”

Eira let out a breath and slid her hand down his arm until her fingers intertwined with his. She squeezed his hand and pulled him alone gently toward the horizon. She couldn’t take the pain from him, but she could help him work through it.

She felt his fingers grip hers tighter and she smiled slightly. They would keep moving, together, she felt.

“I think I’ll need my hand back,” she said quietly a few minutes later.

Link laughed slightly as he looked up to the wall of rock in front of them. He dropped her hand and approached the wall slowly. He hasn’t done much climbing since Hateno Village and this was a rather large wall.

“At least you’re not wearing the Gerudo outfit anymore,” Eira joked as she too got ready to climb. She pulled some gloves over her fingers and flexed them slightly. “I’m sure that would not be fun to climb in.”

“I’d be afraid I’d lose my shirt,” Link chuckled. “If you could even call it that.”

“I don’t know what you’re complaining about.”

Link glared at her slightly before smiling. With a shrug, he sprung up and grabbed onto the rock, starting the long climb to the top. Eira laughed and followed. She climbed slightly slower than him due to his smaller reach, but she kept up just fine.

It only took about twenty minutes to reach the top. Eira’s arms felt about ready to fall off and Link looked about the same. She supposed they should start climbing more, or it might come back to bite them in the butt.

“Which way?” Eira had her hands on her hips as Link lay sprawled out on the ground in front of her.

He slowly peeled his arm away from his eyes and pulled his Sheikah Slate from his hip. He pressed on it a few times before slinging his arm toward the north. He didn’t have the map of this region, but he did have a marker for the Rito Village from Impa.

“That way.”

She raised her eyes to look at the horizon. It was absolutely breathtaking. She had never been to this region of the world. Link stood up beside her, glancing at her as she stared in wonder. She looked over and smiled at him. He slowly smiled back, his eyes shining with some emotion she couldn’t place. It must have to do with his Gerudo friend, she told herself.

“The world is so beautiful at times,” she said quietly. She heard him grunt in response. “I wonder, sometimes, what Hyrule was like before the Calamity. How it looked before nature ruled once more.”

“It was pretty,” he said quietly. He couldn’t remember much, but he knew that it was something to behold. “But I like the quiet. I think I’m happier now than I was then.”

Eira blinked. She looked at him, how the sun cast him in such a bright light as it started to slide down toward the ground. He seemed… content. There was still an air of sadness, but it was something that didn’t seem to over take him.

“No one knows who I am,” he continued. “No one knows that I failed. It’s freeing.”

Eira nodded slightly. “The night I lost my parents, I didn’t feel all that sad. I just felt numb. I thought I was broken.”

Link nodded slightly, knowing exactly what she meant. She had never talked about her parents before, only mentioning them slightly every once in a while. Perhaps she was finally healing.

“I thought about you,” she said, “when I lost them. I thought about you and your burden. How you kept moving despite your loss. Despite being lost yourself. It was freeing.”

She looked at him. She wasn’t crying this time. Her face was calm, strong. What a pair they made, he thought. Two broken people trying to find salvation in each other.

“Pain is temporary,” he said quietly, a small, grim smile gracing his face. “I remember when you told me that. I didn’t think you were right. I didn’t think I would ever feel this pain lessen.”He turned to her then, facing her fully. “I want to thank you for helping me to move forward.”

She shook her head, taking a step toward him. They were close now, barely a foot between them. “We helped each other. Those words meant nothing when I said them. Just something to make myself feel better. I needed it just as much as you.”

Link nodded slightly. He reached up and touched her cheek, letting it trail down her neck. She closed her eyes at the touch, missing the way Link looked at her in that moment. His hand dropped to his side and he took a step back.

“We should keep moving,” he finally said after a moment of silence.

Eira opened her eyes and nodded.

“Onward, we go,” she said with smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kind comments. It honestly means the world to me that people like my story and my characters. I hope you all enjoy the new year and have a wonderful 2018.


	12. Cold

It was much colder in the Tabantha Region. In the distance, Eira could see snowy mountains. She let out a breath, admiring the amazing view, and Link smiled at her. He quickly grabbed the Sheikah Slate at his side and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. With wide eyes, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes, a blush creeping up her cheeks.

“Wha…?” she mumbled at the slight clicking noise coming from the machine.

With a grin, he flipped the slate over so she could see. It was a picture of them, her blushing and looking him and him with a wide smile on his face. She could see the mountains behind them. It was amazing.

“Wow…” she breathed. “That’s pretty cool!”

Link grinned and saved the image, noting that it was the only image that had nothing to do with the compendium. He liked that it was of her.

“We should keep moving,” he with a smile, stowing the Slate back on his hip. “We’re almost to the Rito Village. We should get there before dark.”

He had the new part of the map basically memorized, having found the tower just yesterday. It helped that he could practically see the town from the tower. His slate had not gone off recently to alert him of shrines, so they were on track to make it there in time.

As they trekked through the terrain, Eira found herself pulling her cloak closer and closer to her body, a slight tremor wracking her body. It was definitely colder here. Link frowned at this.

“You’re cold.” It was a statement, not a question.

Her eyes slide to him, noting that he looked quite comfy in his warm doublet. “I’ll be fine until we reach the village.”

“I don’t think it’ll be any warmer there,” he said.

Eira shrugged, trying to ignore the fact that her teeth were chattering and her arms were wrapped around herself.

He rummaged in the satchel at his hip, pulling out some cooked spicy peppers. He glanced at her before taking a large bite. His mouth burned, but he instantly felt his body start to sweat at the many layers he had on. Eira gave him a confused look before he started to peel the doublet off.

Eira sputtered before averting her eyes, looking at the ground, sneaking a peek at his chest every once in a while. He handed her the doublet, pulling out another shirt.

“Link, you don’t have–”

“I want to.”

Eira blinked a few times before removing her cloak and throwing the doublet over her shirt. It was still warm from his body. She felt her cheeks warm up, but covered up by grabbing her cloak and wrapping it around herself.

Link watched her, trying to stave off the heat rushing to his face over the sight of her in his clothes. At least she was warm now. Her shivering has subsided and she now had her cloak wrapped around herself as well. As he studied her, he noted the slight flush on her cheeks. Was that because of him? Or the cold?

Did he care if it wasn’t him?

* * *

 The village was quiet as they approached, a small rito playing outside the arch. Link looked around before glancing at Eira; they made it to another Divine Beast. They were making progress.  
Link could feel the effects of the spicy peppers starting to fade and the chill start to seep into his bones. Eira noticed his slight discomfort and moved a bit closer, hoping to share some of her warmth with him. He gave her a slight smile and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

She flushed but gave him a smile.

He was glad for the warmth and glad for the close contact.

On their walk up the town, Link happened to notice a shop and an inn. The thing that really caught his eye, however, was the outfit situated in the clothing store. He tugged Eira with him into the small alcove (his arm was still around her after all).

Looking at the clothes, he noted that they would be much warmer than the doublet. There was a smaller size in the shop as one, one that would fit Eira. It would work well to keep out the biting cold of this region without having to eat peppers.

“How much money do we have?” Link asked quietly. He had to stoop slightly to talk into her ear, not wanting the shopkeep to hear their money troubles.

“Not enough,” she answered. “We could try selling some of the things we’ve picked up. You fought a talus, right? Didn’t it drop a lot of gems?”

“Oh, right.”

Link pulled away and began to negotiate with the clerk. Eira looked around idly as he did so, playing with the edges of the doublet. It was certainly kind of him to hand over his source of warmth for her. Sure, he had the peppers, but she would have eaten them just as readily.

There was also his sudden… touchiness. She didn’t mind so much as she was confused. Link was pretty resigned when they first met. He didn’t talk all that much and he tended to shy away from physical contact. Now he seems to initiate contact much more than she did.

She wasn’t exactly sure when the change had occurred, but she supposed it was after what happened on Hateno Beach. After she nursed him back to health, he seemed to lose some of his reservations about travelling with someone.

“Thank you for your business!” Eira heard. She turned to see the Rito merchant hand Link the clothing. “Hope to see you again!”

Link smiled at her and walked over to Eira, holding the clothing out to her. “Here,” he said. “It’s called the ‘snowquill set.’ It’s lined with rito feathers to keep the warmth in.”

“Wow,” she said quietly, looking over the fine quality. “These must have been expensive. Do we have any money left?”

She wouldn’t be surprised if this cost the rest of their money. Clothing tended to be more expensive than anything else do to the difficulty of making them and the lack of supplies to make it. Her mother told her that when her grandmother was a child, before Hyrule fell, clothing was cheap and easily produced. Yet another thing taken by the Calamity.

“Yeah, we still have plenty,” Link said, showing her the rupees in the bag. “That talus really paid well.”

“Oh! That’s a lot!” Eira said. “Probably for the best because we have to sleep in the inn until you get through… uh… this beast.”

“Vah Medoh.”

“Bless you. I hope you didn’t catch a cold from this weather!”

“No,” Link chuckled. “Vah Medoh is the name of the Divine Beast. At least, that’s what Impa told me.”

“Oh, of course! I knew that!” Eira said with an awkward smile. She rubbed the back of her neck, ignoring the cheeky grin he gave her.

“Why don’t we go get a place at the inn,” he chuckled, leading her away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kind comments on this story and the continued invested interest. Admittedly, I don't usually write romance (I actually usually write comedy lol) so I'm glad that this is working out somewhat well.


	13. Lost

One evening, after his fight with Windblight, Link asked, “Do you know anything about the Lost Woods?”

Eira blinked a few times, her spoon hovering in front of her lips. “Um, nothing more than anyone else, I suppose.” She put her spoon down. “Why?”

“I think Ze–” he paused. He looked at his own bowl, a look of pain crossing his features.

Eira didn’t know how to help him, so she sat there and let him feel whatever he was feeling. She felt a pang at the obvious love on his face. It was easy to see that he loved his princess. That he blamed himself for her death. She didn’t know this bothered her.

“...the princess. I think the princess hid something of mine there.”

“Like what?” Eira shook herself of of her thoughts. It would not due to dwell on such musings. “Something you need to face Calamity Ganon?”

He nodded. “My sword.”

Eira tilted her head to the side, glancing behind her to where their weapons were placed against the wooden beam of the inn. Her eyes shot back to him and suddenly she was worried that perhaps the hit he from the moving block in Medoh he told her about did more damage than he let on.

“No, not that sword. My sword.”

Eira nodded slowly, pretending she knew what he was talking about. “Right. Your sword… Why did the princess hide your sword in the Lost Woods?”

Link sighed. Apparently the entirety of his story had not been passed down (although he was just happy that people even told the story of the hero despite his failure). “It’s the Master Sword. The Sword of Evil’s Bane.”

“Hmm…” Eira hummed. She ate a spoonful of her soup before looking back at him. “I have no idea what any of that means.”

“It’s the sword that can seal away Calamity Ganon,” he deadpanned.

“Oh! That’s pretty important!” Eira exclaimed.

“Yes. I think the princess hid it so that I would be able to find it when I was ready to once again take up the fight. So, do you know anything about the Lost Woods?”

She pondered his question for a few seconds, wondering about how she should answer. Eira did know a thing or two about the Lost Woods. She knew that people were not often heard from after they entered. She knew that there were dangers hidden in the fog.

But she also knew she trusted Link. She would follow him to the death.

“It’s on the way to Death Mountain. They say there’s a fog that surrounds it– anyone who enters is never heard from again,” Eira said. Link looked on intently, silently urging her to continue. “Apparently that’s where the Koroks are from, but no one has even been able to figure out how they make it through the fog.”

Link sat back. The Koroks? He had met quite a few of them in his travels. Eira was quite fond of them, oftentimes insisting he do the strange puzzles they set up so she can see them and play with them.

She one told him, when he asked her what they were, that they spirits of children who lost themselves in the wilderness. Spirits of children who will never grow old. How horrible it must be, he thought, to never be able to grow old and eventually move on from this world. He was only a teenager, and yet he already felt more weary than the oldest man on this earth.

“So we just need to find a Korok and have them show us through the woods,” Link reasoned. He gave her a grin as if he had just cracked the code.

“I feel like someone would have tried that before,” Eira said. “And besides, the Koroks don’t really like to follow you.”

“What other options do we have?” Link frowned.

Eira shrugged. She wished she had a better option for him, but the Koroks just did not like actually listen to anyone and she didn’t know enough about the Lost Woods to propose a better idea.

“You’re good at puzzles. We could just go to the Lost Woods and hope for the best.”

“We’re going to leave the fate of the world to my puzzle solving abilities?

* * *

 “I can’t believe we’re leaving the fate of the world to my puzzle solving abilities,” Link sighed.

He glanced at Eira who was staring at the entrance of the woods in front of them. She gave him a slight smile before walking forward, under the arch. Link followed after her. They could see a light in the distance. Link gently grabbed her hand and started to walk to the light.

Eira flushed slightly, but followed after him.

“I don’t think it will be that hard,” Eira hummed. “The princess would want you to be able to figure it out.”

They were almost at the source of the light, and Link could see that it was a torch. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eira tilt her head to the side questioningly. The wind of the forest had her hair blowing around her face. She pouted, and pulled her hood up before getting back to her point.

“That’s not safe.” She turned to him with concern in her eyes. “An open flame in the forest? With these winds? The whole forest could burn down!”

Link laughed. Of course that’s all she’s thinking about. After his laughter died down, he added, “I wonder who lit it.”

“Oh, yeah! That’s a good question too!” She gave him a grin before looking out into the woods. “Look,” she said pointing, “there’s another one over there.”

Link squinted and found that she was right. In the distance, a small light flickered between the trees. Still holding her hand, he gently pulled her toward it. The entire time they walked, he felt as if he was being watched, and he could tell from the way Eira pulled her cloak closer to her and moved closer to him that she felt the same. This forest… something felt wrong. It thrummed with life. With magic.

Something was out there. Something was watching.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spring break is a savior.


	14. Found

Eira didn’t like the Lost Woods. Despite the fact that the it should be about midday, it looked like midnight. There was a perpetual fog that seemed to stick and cling to your skin. And what was worse… She could swear she felt eyes on her as she followed behind Link.

He had his sword at the ready, his eyes scanning the dense trees. He could feel her unease and her tension. He wished he could make her feel better, but he felt the same as her when it came to this forest. He just wanted to get his sword and leave. But they were currently stuck. They found the lantern, but they didn’t know how to proceed.

“We could just pick a direction and walk,” Eira hummed. She had taken a seat against a tree at the edge of the clearing. She could still feel eyes on her, so having something to her back helped calm her nerves. At least she knew nothing was behind her. “Eventually, we’ll hit the other side and we’ll try again.”

Link shook his head. “You said no one ever comes out of here. I don’t think we can just walk.”

“Live a little.”

“I was dead for a hundred years,” Link deadpanned. “Besides, it’s one thing if it was just me. I would probably try that. I’d rather not risk _your_ life.”

“How noble,” Eira said as she rolled her eyes.

She stared at the lantern after silence fell once more. There was a torch leaning up against it, and they had already worked out that they were going to need to bring the first with them. The question was, how did they know which was to go?

She pulled her cloak tighter against her to ward of the wind, biting her lip in concentration. It was strong and was blowing harshly to the west. She watched at the embers of the flames was pushed toward the darkness of the woods.

“Do you think…” she muttered. “Do you think that it’s the wind?”

Link turned to look at her. He placed his hands on his hips and tilted his head. She was huddled against a tree as the wind blasted them from their backs. He looked from her to the lantern and felt himself hum in thought.

“Think about it. The wind only started when we entered the woods.”

“So we have to follow the wind?” Link asked.

It made sense, when he thought about it. That would be why they needed to bring the fire with them—they would need to be able see the wind change. The more he thought about it the more she seemed right.

She nodded slightly before standing. She stretched her arms above her head, missing the way Link’s eyes trailed over her torso as her shirt rode up. When she glanced at him, his eyes were on her face and he gave her a smile.

Sometimes he wished she wasn’t so oblivious. He wished she could see how much he cared for her—as more than a companion. Perhaps when this is all over, if he survives his battle against Calamity Ganon, he will tell her how he feels. He was just frustrated because it wasn’t like he was subtle about how he felt. He had become touchier in the past few weeks. He gave her lingering glances that she definitely caught more than once. And yet… she made no indication that she felt anything towards him.

“Link? You coming?”

Link’s eyes snapped to her and he nodded. He grabbed the torch from her hands, ignoring the pout on her lips as he dipped it into the lantern before him. It only took a second to catch. He lifted it away and watched at the wind took the flames slightly to the left of him.

“So, I guess we go that way,” Eira said. She came up beside him and placed a small hand on his shoulder. “Lead the way, hero.”

“Stay close,” he said.

They moved slowly through the mist, stopping every once in a while to see which way the wind blew and correcting the path. It was dark and winding. Eira was huddled close to Link’s back with a tight grip on his tunic. She never really liked dark and creepy places. That usually meant not savory creatures were around. They couldn’t afford a fight. If they’re torch went out, they were lost.

“Hey, look,” Link finally said after about an hour of silence.

Eira looked around him to see what looked like a fallen tree that had been hollowed out. The fog had thinned some and the air felt lighter. Through the tree, Eira could see the small forms of the Koroks. Link turned and grinned at her before scooping her up into a huge hug.

“You did it, Eira!” he laughed as he spun her some. Eira laughed and hugged him back. His enthusiasm was contagious. He set her down before grabbing her hand and dragging her toward the haven.

The Koroks cheered and skittered toward them as they entered the clearing in which Link could see his sword trapped in the ground. Many of the small beings remembered Eira and Link as they had seen them in their travels. They clung to Eira and she happily picked them up and let them grab her. She giggled as Link shook his head with a lazy grin.

“Who is that...? Did I doze off again?”

Link blinked as the giant tree in front of them opened its… eyes? He heard Eira gasp beside him as the tree looked around. She gave Link an alarmed look and gestured to it as if to say ‘you see it too, right?’ Link nodded slightly.

“Hrm? Well, well... it's you. You finally decided to return. Better late than never. After 100 years, I'd nearly given up hope on seeing you again. Even my patience has limits, you know…”

The tree’s voice was deep and rumbling. Eira stood in awe. She had never seen anything so wondrous in her life.

“That look on your face tells me that you have no recollection of me, however,” the tree continued. “I have watched over Hyrule since time immemorial. Many have referred to me over the ages as the Deku Tree.”

The Koroks grabbed Eira and pulled her away from Link. He turned to help her, but she shook her head. The Deku Tree was speaking to him and she could see him eyeing the blade in front of him. She would be fine with the Koroks.

“That is the weapon created by the ancient Goddess. The sword that seals the darkness - that only the chosen knight can wield against the Calamity Ganon. But I must warn you to take extreme caution. The sword stands as a test to anyone who would dare attempt to possess it. As you are now, I cannot say whether you are worthy or not... If you sought to free the sword in any sort of weakened state, you would surely lose your life where you stand. Best of luck, young one…”

Eira’s eyes widened. Why on earth would the princess make the sword kill Link? Wasn’t that _counterproductive_? She cast a worried glance to Link, trying to think if he was in a “weakened state.” They hadn’t eaten breakfast. Oh God, she hoped their lack of supplies wouldn’t kill him! What a horrible way to fail to stop the apocalypse.

“Link,” she called as she watched him step up to the blade. “Are you sure?”

Link caught her eye and gave her a reassuring smile. “Yes. It’s time for me to be the hero once more.”

With that he gripped the handle and began to pull. She noticed him wincing and grunting as he pulled it from the ground. Was it hurting him? God… She was practically about to faint when the sword finally came from the rock.

Only for Link to fall to his knees.

“Link!” Eira screamed as she dashed to him.

Her arms wrapped securely around his form, struggling to hold his larger body up. His eyes were opened but unfocused. The sword hung limply from his clenched fist. He looked so helpless that it brought tears to Eira eyes. And suddenly she was begging for him to be alright. She never realized how much she cared for him before that moment. How much she wanted this adventure to never as if only so that she could spend the rest of her life by his side.

It was the tree that broke her out of her reverie. It spoke to Link and Link only, but at least that meant he was alive.

“What you just saw happened where you stand 100 years ago…” it said. Link’s eyes were still unfocused but his head tilted up toward the tree. Eira also felt his hand wrap around hers at his side and give it a gentle squeeze. “After you were separated from the sword, the princess thought to bring it here, where she knew that it would be safe under my watch. She continues to fight, trapped deep within the confines of Hyrule Castle. Her heart cascades with faith that you will return. She has a smile like the sun... I would do much to feel its warmth upon me once again.”

Eira’s breath left her in a rush the same moment that Link jerked back to reality.

_The princess was alive._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finished the semester and I'm not dead. Win-Win. Feedback always welcome.


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